Author: Andy Cullen

As we get close to festival day, plans are starting to come together and we are able to share some of them in Beer Matters! This is a festival that began as a CAMRA campaigning initiative to help pubs in the area promote themselves and get the local beer scene growing. A few years down the line now it has grown into a big, popular event. The 2015 festival takes place on Saturday 6th June across 18 venues. A free bus service runs linking all the venues together on three routes, all of which start from Dronfield railway station. Therefore you can get the train to Dronfield then pick up the festival bus, hopping on and off at each venue to experience what each has to offer, with locations including town centre, suburban and rural providing as much variety as the lists of beers, foods and bands! As well as the bus service being free of charge, entry to all the venues is free as well, so you just pay for your food and drink, making it an excellent value for money day out. Barlow Brewery – beer tent featuring a range of real ales from Barlow Brewery – Hot food provided by Moss Valley Fine Meats – Bands in the farmyard ————————————————————– Castle Inn – Extended beer range including brewery showcase bar outside – Live music with Twelve Strings – Chef Jamie Bosworth’s gourmet American style burgers ————————————————————- Coach & Horses – garden bar as well as normal pub bar – beers featured from the likes of Thornbridge, Magic Rock, Squark and Brooklyn. – Proper cider will be available. – Outside will be a marquee and live music from 3pm featuring some great local talent from singer/songwriter to lively folk finishing with Solar Funk “Sax-led funky tunes, sizzling swing, full on funk” – traditional outdoor games including a coconut shy! – Food will be served all day, Chariots Kitchen will be running a BBQ featuring locally sourced burgers and sausages and their own marinated chicken. Additionally there will be a salad bar. ————————————————————- Dronfield Arms – Outside bar – range of real ales from RAW Brewery plus guests – Hot food provided by Cow Boys Burgers – Live music on the outdoor stage in conjunction with Honey Bee Blues Club ——————————————————— Green Dragon – open from 11.30am  to 1am – Music from 2pm – 12am, featuring Tommy Jones playing Acoustic, local band The Score,  rocking it out and our resident singer Emma Rossi with music and song to dance the night away. – Large outside bar and 2 indoor bars featuring  10 cask ales from  – Abbeydale Moonshine, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Black Sheep and The Reverend James and all our regular lagers .  Outside bar serving a selection of 6 cask ales from Copper Dragon and Dancing Duck Breweries plus cider – Aspells, Stowford press, Skorpian Black cider – Food available – curry from the Mint Leaf from 2pm and speciality burgers in the evening from Bradway Meats – 3  heated marquees with plenty of seating and cover for those annoying spring showers ————————————————————- Hyde Park Inn – Outside Bar – 14 real ales and 5 ciders across the two bars – BBQ until 9:30pm (or until food stocks sells out!) – Live Music performed outside: 2-5pm Colleens Fancy (folk);  6-9pm The Cannons ( Irishmusic) Sean cannon is the lead singer from the Dubliners ————————————————————- Jolly Farmer – extended beer and cider range, served from a glass fronted cellar – BBQ – Normal food service also in operation ————————————————————- Manor House Hotel – Themed Beer Festival tent with Real Ales from Abbeydale Brewery – I ♥ Ostrich cooking up superb burgers, fries and other street food – Music in the afternoon (3.30 ish start) on the outside patio from Sam Wain, a jazz/blues/boogie-woogie pianist & singer. – full normal bar and dining service inside hotel – quality hotel accommodation available with special festival rates ———————————————————— Miners Arms (Dronfield Woodhouse) – Malt Whisky festival – real ale – food ————————————————————– Miners Arms (Hundall) – Pictish Brewery showcase in main pub – 10 guest ales outside in inflatable pub – Street food from Deli-licious including pulled pork sandwiches and burgers. – Live music: 1-4pm JACKSON, 4:30-6:30pm Russ & Andy, 7-10pm Blind Fever ————————————————————- Royal Oak – Patio at rear served by temporary cellar bar with additional guest beers ————————————————————- Shepley Spitfire – Outside bar with a wide range of guest beers – bar meals ————————————————————- Talbot Arms – Beers from Brampton Brewery – Cider – Themed event – “Soul” – Live music –  ‘The G Men’ and ‘Jack of Harps & The Dealers’ – Soul Food – 10% discount on pints of real ale for CAMRA members (show membership card when ordering) ————————————————————– Three Tuns – up to 36 different beers and 16 ciders & perries available – Pizzas made fresh to order, hog roast and lamb kebabs – Live music – J33 Big Band, Dronfield Band and Blind Badger ————————————————————- Tickled Trout – festival tent behind pub – extended beer range – snacks – live music the festival begins at the Tickled Trout on Friday night, however note the buses are Saturday only. ————————————————————- Travellers Rest plans still to be announced – however expect a large range of beers and ciders, live music and food. Victoria plans still to be announced ———————————————————— White Swan – Cider festival – BBQ – Live music